Sugared lemons* and potted paperwhites are the perfect decor elements for a winter wedding: simple, sophisticated, and lovely, as well as DIY- and budget-friendly (without necessarily looking DIY or budget-friendly). Clear beads strung on a bendable wire turn into a pretty table number, and lemon curd adds color to a simple buttercream cake (okay, this 5-tiered cake isn’t exactly, but you could spread lemon curd on the top of smaller layer cakes for a similar effect that is, in fact, simple). And what’s in that little favor box that doubles as a place card? How about lemon drops, or pate de fruit. (Edible favors always seem like a good idea to me: if your guests leave them behind, you’re stuck with lots of yummy treats instead of, say, 100 miniature picture frames.) Notice that this isn’t really a yellow wedding; it’s a winter white wedding with just a pop of color. For those brides who are unsure about color, and who can’t afford to hire a professional designer to direct your aesthetic choices, my suggestion is this: stick with a neutral background (preferably white), and use one color sparingly. It’s hard to go wrong with a {white + one color} palette.

*Directions for making sugared fruit.

Mood: sweet and simple winter wedding
Palette: sugared lemon yellow, crisp paperwhite

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Top row from left: sugared lemon centerpiece with beaded table number from Martha Stewart Weddings, ruffled dress via This is Glamorous, paperwhites from Brides
Row 2: calligraphy favor box and lemon curd wedding cake both from Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 3: white flower girl dresses from Martha Stewart Weddings, narcissus and freesia bouquet by Artfool, snowy house photo by Cameron Purdy
Row 4: paperwhite centerpiece by Artfool, Alee & Press blind letterpress invitation suite and eaux-de-vie both from Martha Stewart Weddings

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My honey’s very favorite thing in the world is ice cream, and it definitely makes my top three of favorite things, and though we haven’t had much talk of our wedding in the past couple months, we’re fairly certain that ice cream will make an appearance in some way or another. Then the thought occurred to me – what if ice cream was the whole reception? So I imagined this inspiration board: a chapel wedding with just a few guests, followed by a visit to your favorite local ice cream shop. Of course, if you wanted to include ice cream at a larger wedding, many ice cream shops have catering options (my personal favorite ice cream is Ici in Berkeley – mmmm…. caramel cashew). And I couldn’t leave out pretty details like a gorgeous bouquet, a playful necktie for the groom, and sparkly ballet flats. So I have to ask – what’s your favorite local ice cream spot? Favorite flavor there?

Mood: ruffles and ice cream
Palette: pale pink and peach, powder blue, sweet cream

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Top row from left: bouquet with anemones, peonies, ranunculus, and lily-of-the-valley by Ariella Chezar; Twigs & Honey birdcage veil photo by Elizabeth Messina, wedding invitation letter from Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: pink and blue plaid necktie from J.Press, Miu-Miu shoes photo by Jose Villa
Row 3: pink vintage dress from Allen Company via Oh Hello Friend, ice cream cups photo by Gemma Comas, little chapel photo by Missy McLamb, butterfly sleeve dress via Happy Cavalier

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This inspiration board didn’t start out with an accent color, but there is the slightest hint of mint green on the walls of Lisa Lefkowitz’s photograph, and that inspired the rest of these image choices. I imagine a chic cocktail party, or (yet again) a champagne and dessert reception. Though it may take place in a gorgeous mansion, and though the men may be in black tie attire, formality is no reason to exclude whimsical touches, such as calligraphy cootie catchers or a sweet snack of hot beignets. Though they are certainly not major elements in any wedding, they’re a fun touch if you feel up to executing them.

Mood: polished, sweet
Palette: tuxedo black, crisp white, a touch of mint green

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Top row from left: calla lily centerpiece from Brides, black bridesmaid dress by Q is for Quail, calligraphy cootie catcher from Martha Stewart Weddings, Kohl Mansion wedding photo by Lisa Lefkowitz
Row 2: seven-tiered coconut buttercream wedding cake from Martha Stewart Weddings, classic wedding rings photo by Whitebox Weddings, ornate RSVP card by Austin Press, Elie Saab butterfly sleeve dress from Brides
Row 3: tuxedo, lily-of-the-valley and hydrangea nosegay, and beignets all from Martha Stewart Weddings, Flood Mansion

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One of the many pressures on brides today is to come up with a totally unique wedding style. Something no one has seen before. A wedding in which every last detail is a reflection of the bride’s and groom’s personalities, from the personalized vows to the napkins. I certainly have felt this pressure, and when it starts to drive me utterly bananas, I try to remind myself that what makes a wedding truly unique and personalized and yours, is that it is a ceremony and celebration for you and your partner. It’s a wedding that, presumably, hasn’t been seen before.

All of that is to say, you do not have to reinvent the wheel. Stick with classic elements that will never look dated, and do them well: beautiful engraved invitations with traditional wording, pearl jewelry and a blusher veil, white flowers, champagne toasts, a white buttercream cake. A lovely wedding that is perfectly simple and timeless.

Mood: simply classic, timeless
Palette: wedding white, touches of green foliage

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Top row from left: clematis centerpieces from Martha Stewart Weddings, dress with butterfly sleeves from J.Crew’s Spring 2010 collection, classic buttercream cake from Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: champagne flute photo by Marla Christina, pearl earrings from Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 3: traditional engraved wedding invitation and white flower girl dresses both from Martha Stewart Weddings, clematis and rose bouquet photo by Meg Smith, tulle blusher from Martha Stewart Weddings

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Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had delightful holidays, and maybe some left-over treats to make this Monday back at work a bit sweeter. I thought I’d pick up where we left off in December, with inspiration boards that take a less-is-more approach to wedding planning…

I absolutely adore this beautiful dress by Elizabeth Dye, and when I noticed the “nosegay” of raw cotton* in the model’s hand, I was inspired to create this quaint winter wedding board. This would have been pretty in just brown and white, but a small amount of the faintest Tiffany blue adds a bit of visual interest, and allows this look to work as well in early spring as in winter. The tea-length dress, birdcage veil, locket, and champagne coupes are the perfect touch of vintage – sweet, not theme-y. Glassine envelopes filled with rice look pretty either plain or embellished with a custom rubber stamp. And how about this for a twist on DIY? Write out your wedding invitations by hand. It doesn’t require craftiness or creativity, just nice enough hand-writing, pretty ivory paper, and good black ink. Not only is it traditional, it will also be a delightfully unexpected surprise for your invitees. Depending on the tone you’re trying to set, you can either use traditional wording or you can write a personalized note to each guest.

(*Raw cotton is a wonderful decorative element during winter months when fresh flowers are either unavailable or frighteningly expensive, and it makes for unusual bouquets and boutonnieres, as well as beautifully rustic wreaths and centerpieces. You can order it online, or if you live in an area that grows cotton, see if a local farmer might let you have some on the cheap.)

Mood: sweet and quaint
Palette: cotton boll white, chocolate truffle, barely-there blue

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Top row from left: custom Beatrix dress by Elizabeth Dye, twine-bound letters photo by Elizabeth Messina, miniature bundt cake and wooden cake stand by Herriott Grace via Darling Dexter, birdcage veil by Twigs & Honey
Row 2: cotton branch wreath from Blue Moon Events, glassine packets of rice from Martha Stewart Weddings, chocolate truffles photo by Elizabeth Messina
Row 3: vintage locket from Deanna Littell’s Charm School (published in Martha Stewart Weddings), champagne coupe photo via Kiss the Groom, country chapel photo by HH Fine Arts via {frolic!}, cotton boll bouquet from New York Magazine

I’m still totally smitten with the idea of a simple ceremony followed by a reception of champagne and dessert. It works with any number of guests – champagne and dessert makes for a perfectly lovely gathering of just a few close friends and family, but it’s also not going to break the bank if your guest list is considerably bigger. Also, this type of reception doesn’t require professional event planning experience. Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely admire the beautiful work that event designers do, and have so much respect for the skill of planners and coordinators. But not everyone can afford (or wants) to hire one of these professionals, and for those who are planning a wedding without one, a dessert and champagne reception is manageable with help from a few friends and family members. Bake or purchase some pretty cakes and treats, pick up some chocolates from your favorite local shop (if you’re in San Francisco, the caramel truffles at XOX are my personal favorite), buy some nice champagne in bulk, and borrow pretty cake plates and candy dishes from aunts and godmothers. Plus, there’s something charming in a wedding that doesn’t seem “produced.”

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